6 Easy Dietary Ways to Lower Cancer Risk

2: Eat soy products. Soy products—such as tofu, edamame and tempeh—contain anti-cancer properties and, if substituted for red meat, can help reduce exposure to fats and other chemicals that promote breast cancer and other forms of the disease as well as cardiovascular problems.

One study cited by the researchers found that Chinese women who consumed a single serving of soy protein—about one cup of fortified soy milk, a half-cup of tofu or cooked soybeans—on a daily basis during adolescence had a 43 percent reduced risk of developing premenopausal breast cancer. Another recent study found that every additional serving of tofu consumed per week reduced the risk of breast cancer by 15 percent in Asian-Americans. Soy products have also been linked to improved bone health and reduced fracture risk in women

PCRM’s conclusion: “Consumption of soy products during adolescence may reduce the risk of breast cancer arising in adulthood. Soy products may also reduce the risk of recurrence and mortality for women previously treated for breast cancer.”